Rancherías: Historical Archaeology of Early Colonial Campsites on Margarita and Coche Islands, Venezuela

Summary

Little is known from the present-day archaeological perspective of early colonial realities of Margarita and Coche islands located in north-eastern Venezuela, in the state of Nueva Esparta. Moreover, the island of Coche has never been surveyed archaeologically. This paper discusses the preliminary results of systematic archaeological surveys of Coche and the southern coast of Margarita Island, carried out within the frame of the Nexus 1492 ERC research project coordinated by Leiden University. Colonial materials and sites were located on both islands. All sites yielded pre- and post-1550 Spanish and other European ceramics, as well as Amerindian pottery and possibly intercultural hybrids. Activities related to pearl fishery and goat breeding are most probably responsible for the presence of the ephemeral settlements or rancherías that were located in these places. These were contemporary with and also slightly posterior to the core Spanish town of Nueva Cádiz that flourished on the island of Cubagua between 1528 and 1542.